Prince Zeid’s War On Sri Lanka
Posted on September 17th, 2015

Mahinda Gunasekera

September 16, 2015

His Excellency, Maithripala Sirisena
President of Sri Lanka

Copy to:  Hon. Ranil Wickremasinghe, Prime Minister
”     ”    Hon. Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Foreign Affairs
”     ”    Hon. Cabinet Ministers
”     ”   Permanent Secretaries to HE the President, Prime Minister, and Min. of Foreign Aff.

Your Excellency,

Unproven Allegations of War Crimes and Violation of Int’l Humanitarian Law

We who consider Sri Lanka as our dearly beloved motherland are confused as to the position the present government is taking to answer various allegations of wrong doing by Sri Lanka’s Armed Forces which fought a war thrust on Sri Lanka by the internationally designated terrorist movement known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), aka Tamil Tigers.  Our representatives are acting like cattle being taken to slaughter, when we have honorably discharged our role
in defeating the ruthless terrorist forces who deliberately used the civilians whom they herded as they retreated as a human shield putting them in harms way.

Our brave soldiers who risked their life and limb by having to tread over heavily mined and booby trapped terrain, approach the enemy who stood behind high earthen bunds in fortified bunkers with a clear view of opposing forces, succeeded in breaching the bunds and to finally surround the enemy and defeat them totally.  Our armed forces not only defeated the LTTE terrorists that wrought havoc over three decades, but also rescued 295,000 displaced civilians used as a shield by the cowardly terror forces.  Our soldiers were disadvantaged to wards the latter stages from around April 27, 2009, when they dispensed with the use of heavy weapons and air strikes in order to reduce the harm to the trapped civilian population while they were being targeted by the LTTE with all their weaponry.  The human cost suffered by our forces amounted to some 5,200 lives lost, and 22,000 plus disabling injuries in this three year operation.  The fighting men had to later handle welfare duties in providing care to rescued civilians, feed them, and provide numerous services in de-mining the land of nearly 1.5 million land/personal mines, rebuilding homes and infrastructure such as roads, constructing schools, hospitals, effecting repairs to irrigation facilities, and making the land livable for the displaced civilians. They also had the task of rehabilitating the nearly 12,000 former Tiger fighters, imparting new life skills and releasing them to society with livelihood assistance.

We are aware of the UNSG’s Panel of Experts on Accountability in Sri Lanka reaching conclusions deemed “credible allegations” based on one sided information which are locked away for 20 years.  Their report which was for the personal guidance of the UN Secretary General is surreptitiously leaked to the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, who in turn attempts to table this unofficial report, but causes a further flawed OHCHR investigation on Sri Lanka that is before the September 2015 sessions of the UNHRC.

Your Excellency, we are a proud nation with a illustrious history dating back to over 2,500 years that developed a unique system of irrigation for utilizing the rainfall to cultivate the land.  Our country which is a sovereign nation cannot become a guinea pig to please the geopolitical aims of major powers, or give into the blackmail of extremist members of the Tamil minority community who are seeking to carve out territory from the island nation to gradually form a separate state using the 13th Amendment as a stepping stone to a federalist structure before opting for separation.  We have never been defeated by the many invaders we faced
during our long history, nor have we embarked on invasion of others lands to grab what is theirs.

In our opinion, we are quite capable of conducting investigations into any wrongdoings that may have taken place during the conduct of the war ended on May 19, 2009.  Despite over 30 years of unbridled terrorist violence on the part of the LTTE, we do not harbour thoughts of revenge or harm to members of the Tamil minority community which extended support to the terror movement both willingly and unwillingly. We must firstly defend our country at the UNHRC and not let the big offenders of human rights run rough shod over our country’s honour.  We call upon you to immediately arrange to publish the second stage of the report of the Paranagama Commission, along with the report submitted to the authorities by the distinguished legal experts from the UK and USA led by Sir Desmond de Silva, all of whom have been selected by the UN in prosecutions conducted before the ICC.  If necessary, retain these legal experts to study the report of the OHCHR before the September 2015 sessions, and prepare a draft response that could serve as a backgrounder to the correct position that Sri Lanka needs to take.

I am annexing hereto an opinion piece written by Mr. Dayan Jayatilleka, a former Sri Lankan diplomat and Permanent Representative to the UNHRC in Geneva.  I must stress that I am conveying the sentiments of many of my friends who are ardent patriots of our island motherland.  I trust you would give your immediate attention to this matter and take the decision that does not humiliate our nation. Shall appreciate if you would kindly acknowledge receipt and give an assurance that we will make our best possible case using the valuable advice and opinions of the legal experts referred to earlier.

May the Blessings of the Noble Triple Gem be with you.

Yours sincerely,

Mahinda Gunasekera

One Response to “Prince Zeid’s War On Sri Lanka”

  1. aravinda Says:

    The Balkanization of Sri Lanka has started. I grieve for my country. I grieve for generations to come.

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